John Williams: A Man You Didn’t Know You Knew

Courtesy of wall.alphacoders.com

There has been a lot of talk recently about Bat-this, Star-that, and Jurassic-the other recently. This is all very exciting, but something that not everyone will realize, is that all of these films share something very important in common. John Williams.

A soundtrack to a film is as important as the story, the visuals, and Ron Weasley saying “Bloody hell, Harry.” It is one of the most effective ways of conveying emotion onto the big screen. If you try watching a horror movie with the sound down, you’ll find that you don’t need that pillow to hide behind any more, and a soppy love scene will no longer require those tissues… For the tears, you sicko!

So the music is vital. It scares you when you are meant to be scared, riles you up before a battle, and will sure as hell make your eyes water when your favourite character has bit the dust. Not all soundtracks (or scores, if you will) are memorable. Sure they improve what you’ve watched, but the chances are, if you ask someone to hum you a movie theme song, whatever they hum at you, will have come from the brilliant mind of John Williams.

Williams has been providing Hollywood with arguably the most well-known film scores for over fifty years, and has written the music for over one hundred films, and while not all of them will be instantly recognizable, you might just be surprised as to how many you do know. With a rather distinct sound, of dramatic horns, and whimsical flute, Williams has managed to enhance the imagination of audiences all around the world, providing an equal amount of fun and fear.

With a portfolio including the likes of Star Wars, Jurassic Park, SupermanandJaws,you can be almost certain that most people know at least one of the themes instantly, and in terms of music from movies, that is no easy feat. This is why I like to dub John Williams as ‘a man you didn’t know you knew’. His multi-decade spanning career has inspired people all over the world and has brought joy to millions of film viewers, and music lovers alike. So this holiday season, when you are watching Home Alone, another Williams classic, sit with your family, raise a glass and salute the man who has been entertaining your ears for years, without you even knowing it.